Jacob Singer

I, Jacob Singer, was born in a small town called Potchefstroom, 72 miles West of Johannesburg in South Africa. As a child, growing up in Potchefstroom was wonderful, with total freedom of the town, walking alone to and from school, or throughout the town from the age of 7 years.

It was only went I went to London, England as a Pharmacy student at the ripe old age of 18, that I found out how sick South African society truly was. When I returned to South Africa, five years later, I met my wife, and started practicing Pharmacy in a business I opened called Protea Pharmacy, moving to the Mooi River Pharmacy, when my father retired. With three children I tried to lead a normal life, but soon found out that the racial laws of the country troubled me. In the Pharmacy, I always treated my employees, no matter what their racial distinction, the same. This made me many enemies in Potchefstroom, but I must admit, that I did enjoy thumbing my nose at those who regarded Hendrik Verwoerd's apartheid policies as the ultimate.

Unfortunately, years later, when I refused to give the Security Police certain information,I was told by the Brigadier that came to see me, that my family would no longer 'be protected'. That same night our dog Gamboo was poisoned. My wife and I then encouraged our children to emigrate, and once they had settled, we followed them to Canada.

My deepest regret today is that I did not do more for my employees, especially those discriminated against, by the racial laws of the country. My book is about people I got to know over the years.

My BLOG site is http://www.jacobashersinger.com.